Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
Author Note: First of all thank you for all the support and all the positive feedback. Also I do enjoy the constructive criticism and people pointing things out to me (like the links not working). I also would like address a review that was posted by a "Guest". Normally I would just reply back to the person, but since it's a guest review I can't.
Here is the review:
:Is it meant to be spelled Volurri with two r's...? It's honestly the only thing about this story I can't stand...
First of all, if you are going to critic my spelling you may want to make sure you actually include the 'r' in Volturi. Second it's called keyboard autocorrect. Every time I try to fix it usually corrects to Volturri. Don't ask me why. It does that with other words sometimes. I have to edit it on the actual fanfiction site to fix it every single time. Now I have been trying to fix this issue but it's a pain. I also don't have loads of time especially since I post 5 times a week. Thirdly if you "can't stand" it, no one is forcing you to read this. I don't normally address things like this, but I found it the humorous the person made a spelling mistake while critiquing my spelling.
Now that that is over with, here is today's chapter!
Previously…..
I walked toward him as he was now at the table with the envelope in his hands looking at whatever was inside. He then closed it and looked at me with pain stricken eyes. What was going on?
"Edward was is that?" I asked, now worried.
He handed me the envelope and said, "Your freedom."
Chapter 11
BPOV
My freedom? What was he talking about? In the package was a folder. I flipped it open and inside was a bunch of documents. Social security cards, birth certificates, passports, and bank accounts. When I looked closely, I saw they were different from my current papers. I flipped through and everything was for me and Liam. Edward had basically given Liam and I new identities. There was enough money in the bank account to support us for both me and Liam's lifetimes. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Did Edward want me and Liam to leave? Was I not good enough for him? No, I saw the pain that was in Edwards's eyes earlier. He didn't want us to leave.
"Bella," I looked up at him and he continued, "I want to give you the chance to leave if that's what you want. I thought you would be safest with me. I thought you would grow to love me. I thought the past few days when we were getting to know each other you were happy. But then I realized it wasn't fair if you had no choice in the matter. I've been selfish. I have justified every way possible to keep you here with me, but I would be no better the Volturi if I didn't give you a choice."
"Do you want me to leave?" I asked holding back the tears.
"No" he came closer and held my face between my hands. "Bella I want you stay with me. I would be lying if I said I want you to go away. I just want to give you a chance to walk away if that's what you want. I could understand you not wanting to be apart of this mafia life."
Oh that's right….. Mafia. It made things more complicated. Could I justify staying and having Liam apart of the mafia families?
"I wanted to wait and give you the choice latter, but then I realized you would be in even deeper. Bella if you choose to stay I can never give you the option again. Because from here on out you will only be pulled in deeper. You will know more and things will be expected of you."
I perked up at that last part.
"Bella we would have to be officially married with a ceremony within a month, and you and Liam will have to be presented to the families within a month also. I would not force myself upon you sexually. But from here on out we would be bound if you choose to stay."
"What about the Volturi? Won't they still come looking for me?" I asked.
"I will handle the Volturi. I'm close to finding out who was going to take you. And I will do everything in my power to get rid of them so they won't come looking for you. Of course you will have to be careful. But I want to give you options. I don't want to strip you of your free will. So much of your life has been out of your control and I want to give you control over this decision." His eyes were full of powerful emotion. I could tell he meant every word. He wanted me to stay, but he was giving me the choice. This would be my only time to leave if I chose to do so. What choice would I make? If you asked me the first day, I would have snatched the papers and took Liam and ran. But since getting to know Edward I never felt more whole. There something between us. It reminded me of what Esme said when she talked about her family finding "the one". You just know. There is a connection that is indescribable. I wanted Edward I knew that, but could I justify bringing Liam into this life? Liam and Edward were already forming a bond. I wanted Edward to be Liam's father so badly. The thing that made it so complicated was the mafia families. What would I decide?
"Bella," Edward said and then continued, "I don't want you to give me an answer right away. I want you to have some time to think about it and sleep on it. I will need an answer in a day or two though."
I let out a deep breath but I couldn't speak.
"I do need to leave though for a little while. We're close to answers with the Volturi situation. I'll be back sometime tonight." And with that Edward kissed my forehead and left. I felt the tears fall although I'm not sure why I was crying. Was it because I was finally getting a choice in my life? And I was so moved with emotion. Was it because I was happy? But I in a wayI felt sad? Was it because the thought of leaving Edward made me feel like I would fall apart? He was the one good thing besides Liam that had come into my life. Like Liam he came during a dark point in my life. Was that how my life worked?| I had to go through trying, painful, and dark times to get the good things in my life? Now the bigger question, could I justify keeping Liam in the mafia families?
EPOV
I was on the way to the warehouse when my cell rang.
"Hello?"
"We've had a breakthrough." Jasper said through the phone.
"I'm all ready on my way."
"Okay" and we hung up.
Finally! The fucker finally spilled the beans.
I walked into the warehouse where Jasper, the specialist and his assistant, and Emmett stood around the lousy fucker.
"So it seems you have something to tell me." I said to the fucker. He barely looked recognizable. I'm not sure what all methods they used but it wasn't pretty.
"Yeah" he wheezed out.
"I don't have all fucking day. I can turn around and leave you back in the care of these fine people." I said,
"NO!" he yelled, well attempted to yell. Like I said he was in pretty bad shape.
"Okay then spit it out!" I yelled.
"Demetri." He said.
Finally. "And your positive your not bullshitting me." I had to cover all my bases.
"Yes. He wanted Bella. He said you found out that he planned to take her so you being the selfish bastard you were decided to take her for yourself." SMACK! I punched him straight in the jaw.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I had eyes on her first. You better start believing it because for starters it's true and second there will be evidence saying you knew that all along." I said with venom in my voice. He was really starting to piss me off.
" Okay! Okay! I don't even know what's true anymore more! He was borderline obsessed with her. He apparently let her slip with between her fingers before. He was upset because someone got to her first."
Fuck! He was the one that was going to rape Bella that night but didn't get a chance. What Demetri meant by "someone getting to her first" was the fact that his guard had raped Bella when he didn't get chance. This fucker didn't know that. Maybe Demetri kept it hush so his pride didn't get further wounded. But that made it harder to find the fucker who raped Bella. But then again it could raise less suspicion taking out the son of a bitch.
"Okay, is there anything else you want to tell me?"
"I don't know what else you would need to fucking know!" he yelled. That earned him a punch to the gut.
"You would think by now you would know manners and a little respect." I spat.
"I don't know." He mumbled.
I turned around and said. "Keep him alive. We can't have him dying. We're going to need him to take down Demetri."
I looked down at my suit and saw I got the fucker's blood on my when I punched him twice. Another suit to burn.
"Jasper let's talk strategy." I said.
A few hours later I left completely exhausted. When I walked into the apartment, I saw Bella asleep on the couch. She had the folder's contents spread out and also what looked like additional papers. Maybe she wrote down plans and where to go with Liam. I contemplated moving her into the bed but I was still covered in blood and I didn't know if she would be okay with me moving her. I then headed into the bathroom and stripped my clothes in a bag to burn after I showered. While letting the water wash away any traces of evidence, I couldn't help but wander what Bella would decide. I wanted here to stay, but if she decided to leave I wouldn't stop her. It would break me but I would let her go if that is what she wanted. I finished my shower, got dressed, and went to burn my clothes to dispose of any evidence. I lit the fire and threw in the bag. I was watching the flames when I heard someone come in the room.
Bella
"Hey, you okay? Did I wake you?" I asked. I then noticed that she had the folder in her hands. Oh shit. She was going to let me know she was leaving. Why else bring the folder?
"It's fine. I heard you come in and I was thinking when you were in the shower. I assume that's where you were." She said while inspecting my wet hair.
"Yeah. Have you made your decision? Is that why you have the folder in your hands?" I asked. I felt like I was about to be ripped in two. I wouldn't let her see me break down though. If she was going to leave then that was her choice. She deserved to have a choice.
"Yes I have made my decision." She said slowly.
Oh fuck. Here it comes.
"Edward, I have given this a lot of thought. I knew before I fell asleep and when I woke up I was still solid in my answer." She said
"And?" I said trying to keep myself together.
"And my decision is.." She said and then she did something unexpected. She threw the envelope and its contents in the fire.
We both stared at the flames as it engulfed the contents.
"Edward I choose to stay. I know what this entails for me and Liam. There was never a doubt I wanted to be with you and have you in Liam's life. The part that was the hardest was the situation with the mafia families. Then I realized Liam and I were already tied to the family in multiple ways. And if that was the only thing standing in the way of me staying then I choose to not let that hinder my decision to stay. I trust you Edward. I trust that you will treat me right. I trust that you will be a good father to Liam. I trust that you will do whatever you can to keep us safe. And I trust that me and Liam's lives will be a whole lot better with you in it."
I was speechless. I pulled Bella into my arms and we held each other for a moment. I pulled back so that I could kiss her forehead and then continued in our embrace. I felt the warmth flow through my chest mixed with the foreign emotions that made their presence known once again. It was in that moment that I realized what it was. LOVE
